5 Competitive Intelligence Report Examples for SaaS (2026)

You've read the guides. You downloaded the template. Now you're staring at blank sections wondering what "good" actually looks like.

Most competitive intelligence report examples online show you empty frameworks or generic descriptions. They tell you to "analyze pricing" but don't show you what an actual pricing analysis looks like when filled in.

This post fixes that. You'll see real CI report examples with actual data (fictional companies, realistic numbers) that you can model your own reports after. Each example follows the Observation → Analysis → Opportunity pattern that makes CI reports actionable instead of just informative.

Section examples to copy

22%

Higher win rates with good CI

3-5 max

Observations per section

Example 1: Pricing Analysis Section

The pricing analysis is where most CI reports fall short. Surface-level comparisons like "Competitor A is cheaper" don't help you make decisions. Here's what a useful pricing analysis section actually looks like.

Pricing Analysis

Competitor: DataStack Analytics

Pricing Model: Per-seat, tiered with annual discount

Tier	Price	Seats	Key Features
Starter	$29/seat/mo	1-5	Basic dashboards, 30-day retention
Professional	$79/seat/mo	Unlimited	Advanced analytics, API, 1-year retention
Enterprise	Custom	Unlimited	SSO, dedicated support, unlimited retention

Observations:

⦿ 2.7x price jump from Starter to Professional. This is above the typical 2x threshold for tier upgrades, creating friction for growing teams.

⦿ SSO gated at Enterprise only. Mid-market companies with 20-50 employees often need SSO but won't qualify for Enterprise pricing.

⦿ No mid-tier option. The gap between $29 and $79 leaves room for a $49 tier targeting teams of 6-15.

Opportunities:

✓ Position our Pro tier ($49/seat) as the value leader in the 5-15 seat range

✓ Highlight our 90-day retention at Starter (vs their 30-day)

✓ Target their mid-market prospects frustrated by SSO gating

Notice how each observation connects to a specific opportunity. This is what separates useful CI from data collection. For more on gathering this kind of pricing analysis data, use tools that automate the extraction process.

Example 2: Feature Comparison Matrix

A feature comparison isn't just a checklist of "has feature" vs "doesn't have feature." The best matrices show feature quality and which tier includes each capability.

Feature	Your Product	DataStack	AnalyticsHub	MetricFlow
Real-time dashboards	All	All	Pro+	All
Custom reports	All	Pro+	All	Pro+
API access	All	All	All	Ent
SSO/SAML	Pro+	Ent	All	Pro+
White-label exports	All	-	Pro+	Ent
AI insights	All	Pro+	-	Pro+

Key Takeaways:

⦿ White-label exports is a differentiator. Only one competitor offers this at a comparable level, making it a strong selling point for agency clients.

⦿ AI insights gap is closing. Six months ago, no competitor had AI features. Now two have basic implementations.

⦿ SSO remains a common weakness. Three of four products gate SSO at higher tiers, creating mid-market opportunity.

Example 3: SWOT Analysis

Generic SWOT analyses list obvious strengths ("good product") and vague threats ("competition"). Useful SWOTs tie each point to specific evidence and strategic implications.

SWOT Analysis

Competitor: DataStack Analytics

Strengths

Internal Positives

•Established enterprise brand (Fortune 500 client list)high
•Deep Salesforce integration (only competitor with native sync)high
•24/7 support with 4-hour SLAmedium

Weaknesses

Internal Negatives

•12-month release cycles (competitors ship monthly)high
•6-week average implementation timehigh
•No self-serve trial (requires sales demo)medium

Opportunities

External Positives

•Growing demand for real-time analytics (their product updates hourly)
•Mid-market segment actively seeking alternatives
•AI analytics becoming table stakes (they're behind)

Threats

External Negatives

•AnalyticsHub raised $50M and targeting their enterprise accounts
•Salesforce may build native analytics (reducing integration moat)
•Per-seat pricing facing pushback in economic downturn

Impact Level:

HighMediumLow

What makes this SWOT useful:

Each point includes evidence, not just assertions. "Established enterprise brand" is supported by "Fortune 500 client list." "Slow release cycles" is quantified as "12-month" compared to "competitors ship monthly."

This specificity makes the SWOT actionable. You know exactly what claims to make against this competitor and which weaknesses to probe in competitive deals.

Example 4: Market Positioning Map

A positioning map visualizes where competitors sit along key dimensions. This reveals crowded spaces to avoid and white space you can own.

⦿ Common Positioning Dimensions

Different markets require different dimensions. For SaaS analytics tools, useful dimensions include:

Dimension 1: Target Company Size

SMB-focused (self-serve, quick setup, lower price)
Mid-market (sales-assisted, moderate customization)
Enterprise (high-touch, full customization, premium price)

Dimension 2: Product Depth

Point solution (does one thing extremely well)
Platform (comprehensive suite with multiple modules)

Positioning Analysis:

Competitor	Target Size	Product Type	Positioning
DataStack	Enterprise	Platform	All-in-one analytics for large teams
AnalyticsHub	Mid-market	Platform	Affordable enterprise features
MetricFlow	SMB	Point solution	Simple dashboards for startups
Your Product	Mid-market	Point solution	Fast insights without complexity

White Space Identified:

The "Mid-market + Point Solution" quadrant has minimal competition. MetricFlow targets SMB, DataStack targets Enterprise. Both platform players require significant implementation. There's an opening for a product that serves mid-market teams (20-200 employees) who want depth without platform complexity.

This is how competitive intelligence informs pricing strategy decisions. You position your pricing to match the segment you're targeting.

Example 5: Strategic Recommendations Section

The recommendations section is where CI becomes strategy. Every insight from previous sections should connect to specific actions.

Strategic Recommendations

⦿ Immediate Actions (This Month)

✓ Launch "SSO for Pro" campaign. DataStack and AnalyticsHub both gate SSO at Enterprise. Promote our Pro-tier SSO inclusion to their mid-market prospects.

✓ Update competitive battlecard. Add DataStack's 2.7x pricing jump as objection-handling material for sales team.

✓ Create comparison landing page. Target "DataStack alternative" keyword with feature-by-feature comparison.

⦿ Monitoring Priorities (Ongoing)

✓ AnalyticsHub's AI roadmap. They announced AI features at their conference. Track monthly for launch timing.

✓ DataStack pricing changes. Their CFO mentioned "pricing optimization" on last earnings call. Set up alerts for pricing page changes.

✓ MetricFlow enterprise push. Recent job postings suggest enterprise sales expansion. Monitor for upmarket movement.

⦿ Strategic Considerations (This Quarter)

✓ Re-evaluate per-seat pricing. Market sentiment is shifting toward usage-based models. Conduct customer research on pricing preferences.

✓ Assess Salesforce integration priority. DataStack's moat is their native Salesforce sync. Determine if building this is worth the investment.

My recommendation is just to do some research. That's really what the crux of pricing is: doing some sort of customer development around asking customers or target customers in the right manner about where their willingness to pay is.

Patrick Campbell, Founder, ProfitWell (acquired by Paddle) — Inside Intercom podcast at SaaStock

Putting the Examples Together

Each section builds on the others. Pricing analysis reveals tier gaps. Feature comparison shows differentiation opportunities. SWOT identifies competitor vulnerabilities. Positioning maps find white space. Recommendations tie everything to specific actions you can take this week.

The pattern for every section is the same:

Observation: What does the data show?
Analysis: Why does this matter?
Opportunity: What should we do about it?

If your CI report sections don't answer all three questions, they're not finished.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good competitive intelligence report examples?

Good CI report examples include pricing analysis tables showing tier structures and opportunities, feature comparison matrices, SWOT analyses with actionable insights, market positioning maps, and strategic recommendation sections with immediate and long-term actions.

How do you write a competitive intelligence report section?

Start with observations (what the data shows), add analysis (why it matters), and conclude with opportunities (what to do about it). Each section should answer 'so what?' for the reader.

What should a pricing analysis section include?

A pricing analysis section should include competitor tier structures, pricing models, price points at various usage levels, discounting patterns, and specific opportunities your company can exploit.

How detailed should CI report examples be?

CI report examples should be detailed enough to inform decisions but concise enough to be actionable. Focus on 3-5 key observations per section rather than exhaustive lists.

Can I use these CI report examples in presentations?

Yes. These examples work in any format including PowerPoint, Google Slides, Notion, or PDF reports. The tables and visual frameworks translate directly to presentation slides for executive briefings.

Build Your Own CI Report

These examples give you a starting point. The real value comes from filling in your actual competitor data and connecting insights to your specific strategic situation.

If you want the complete framework with all seven sections, grab our free template (no signup required). For 2026, AI-powered tools like Tierly can automate the data gathering and analysis, cutting report creation time from days to minutes.

The complete guide to CI reports. Covers all 7 essential sections and how often to update each one.